Promise
by GleefullyLovely
Summary: “I need you to promise me you’ll look out for Peng and Yi.” Jin’s head lowers for a few seconds before rising back up “If it’s me or either of them, you choose them, can you promise me that?” I own nothing


Jin sucked in a deep breathe, hand running through his unswept black locks. He's honestly never felt this dirty before, he'd always prided himself on his cleanliness and upkeep of his styled hair, cashmere clothes and fancy shoes.

But, maybe it's those very reasons why he'd been left behind...

Jin has to admit it stung a bit when Everest made sure everyone got away from Burnish and his goons, except for him. Making no moves to pluck him into the thick arms such as the Yeti had done for Peng or made a flying Daffodil for Yi. Instead, he'd basically been abandoned and left to be caught by the bad guys.

Exhaling, the eldest in the group approached the now alone Yeti, hand in the air in a waving gesture "Uh, hey Everest?"

The young Yeti's blue eyes widened as Jin approached him, but he smiles happily at the boy none the less while his body wagged back and fourth playfully.

"Look, I just wanted to say that I totally understand why you left me back there, why you all did."

Everest's head tilts in confusion, mouth now in a pout and confused growls spouting from his lips.

"Uh, you know," explains Jin, hand now behind his neck "When you, Yi and Peng all took off on that flying dandelion."

Everest started to clap in joy and jump up and down, that ride had been so much fun! Plus, he'd had two of his best friends along.

Jin fought to keep the betrayal from crossing his face "Yeah, so anyways, I just wanted to say that I understand and I'm not angry or ... Or upset about it." Although at this point, Jin doubts the Yeti would care either way.

"In fact, If it comes down to it, which I hope that it never does, but," Jin's head lowers for a few seconds before rising back up, brown eyes starring determinedly into sky blue "I need you to promise me you'll look out for Peng and Yi."

Everest eagerly nods his head, tongue darting out.

"Whatever you do, you keep them safe, and I know this last part will be easy for you to agree with considering the circumstances, but, leave me behind if you have to. I'm ... I'm learning that I'm not as important as I thought and ... Well, you don't like me anyways, so yeah, no big loss, right?"

The Yeti grows silent and stares.

"That's all, I just need to know that they'll be alright. Yi and Peng are the ones that matter here. If it's me or either of them, you choose them, can you promise me that?"

Everest takes off bawling, trails of tears dictate the Yeti's trail as the young child rushes off.

Jin sighs, body slouching "Nice going idiot, you made him cry. I should just go, no one wants me here and Everest will look after them."

The boy heads the opposite direction, unnoticing his heart-wrenched looking younger cousin hiding behind a nearby tree trunk.

...

"Yi!" Screamed Peng, the child brushing tears from his eyes at what he'd just overheard "Yi!"

"Peng?" Questions the fifteen year old girl consoling a hyperventilating Everest "What's going on?"

Peng screeches to a halt "It's Jin!" Quickly becoming out of breath

Yi raises an eyebrow "What about Jin? Did he make Everest cry?"

In response, the Yeti lets out a loud sad roar as more tears rush down his cheeks "It's okay, Everest, whatever Jin's done now-"

"He didn't mean to make him cry, Jin just wanted Everest to promise!" Blurts out Peng

"Promise what?" Asks a concerned, but wary Yi

"I've never seen that side of Jin before, he's always been so full of himself and thinks he's so cool." Speaks Peng, the boy now pacing back and fourth.

"Peng," Yi steps forward, hands bracing against Peng's shoulders "What's wrong with Jin?"

Peng starts to sniffle, hand wiping away snot from his leaking nose "Jin made or he wanted to make Everest promise to look after us. He said since we all left him behind before that it wouldn't matter now, but he was holding back tears! Yi, he really thinks we hate him or something and left him alone on purpose!"

Yi's eyes widen, roaming from a now breaking down Peng and a still weeping Everest "Where's Jin?"

...

Jin really wished he still had his cellphone, not to take selfies or check himself out in the reflection, but just to see if any boats were available to take him anywhere nearby.

"May as well go, I'm no longer needed or wanted here. If I ever was in the first place."

"Why would you think that?" Comes Yi's voice from behind, causing the young man to jump in fright.

"Oh, hey Yi!" Laughs Jin, attempting to refocus the conversation "Shouldn't you be with Everest?"

"Peng's watching him while I come talk some sense into you."

Jin scrunches his face in confusion, unless Yi became fluent in Yetish, there's no possible way she'd know "What are you talking about?"

Yi shakes her head "Don't play dumb with me, Peng overheard your entire conversation."

Jin becomes breathless, mouth now gaping open "He heard that?" Yi nods "Like, the whole thing?"

Yi nods once more "How could you think we hate you? Peng's your cousin, I'm your friend and-"

"No, you're not, Yi," interrupts a frazzled Jin "We haven't been friends for a very long time, half the time you can't even stand me."

"Not like you made an effort to talk to me, either." Scoffed Yi

"That's the thing, Yi," begins Jin "I did talk to you, we'd banter back and fourth on a daily basis, but you'd just walk away. You're pushing everyone out of your life, I was just the first to let you."

Yi stares in shock, mind whirling as those past conversations and her reactions hit her like a brick.

"You don't have to explain yourself," states Jin, hands in his back pants pocket "I just hope that once this is all over you go spend time with your family."

Yi shakes her head "Stop trying to change the subject, Jin. This isn't about my family, this is about you."

Jin lifts his head to the sky "It's going to be dark soon, you guys had better hurry if you want to get ahead of Burnish and his goons."

Yi couldn't ignore the fact Jin had left himself out of that sentence "We're not leaving you behind."

Jin couldn't help but laugh "That's funny to hear you say after you already have."

"We didn't ... You didn't jump!"

Jin stares Yi directly in the eyes "He didn't grab me ... Everest didn't make sure that I got out of there like he did you guys."

Jin's head droops once more, leg kicking loose rock and dirt "I get why you all did it, I really do, but it still hurt ... That lady was planning to kill me the second she got the chance. If I hadn't of been able to get away, I'd most likely be dead right now."

"Jin, we-" starts Yi, trying to find the right words "We NEVER meant to leave you."

The girl takes the elder boys hands in her own "None of us hate you, sure, you can be annoying and egotistical, but-" Yi lifts a now crying Jin's chin "You're Everest's friend, Peng's favorite cousin and my big brother."

Jin gasped at hearing those words, the boy went to speak but was silenced by Yi's finger to his lips.

"When we got separated I was so worried about you, if you were in trouble or worse and I blame myself for you ever being put in that position. I should have just let you and Peng catch a boat home, but instead I pushed until I somehow convinced you to stay."

Jin stares as teary droplets roam down Yi's red cheeks "I've put you both in so much danger and I'm so sorry. But don't you ever think I'd leave you behind, that any of us would. What happened was an accident and I won't let it happen again. You wanted a promise? Well here's mine, we won't lose you again, Jin."

Jin pulls the young girl into a hug, Yi's head snuggling into his chest "Please don't leave, Jin,"

Jin smiles before resting his head atop Yi's "How could I walk away when my little sister needs me?"

"Group hug!" Screams Peng, the eavesdropping pudgy boy running towards his friend and cousin, arms wrapping as much as they could around the pair "I love you, Jin!"

"Love you to, cuz."

Upon feeling the shaking of the earth, all three kids eyes widen before they're barreled into. Yi and Peng on the ground while Jin is held in a tight, white furry embrace.

Everest held the boy close, hoping the hug could convince his friend that he was really sorry, small growls and purrs of comfort adding to the mix.

Jin laughs, hand patting the Yet's arm "It's alright big guy, no hard feelings."

Yi reaches her feet, dusting off any dirt from her short jeans while Peng shakes his head back and fourth like a dog trying to get dry.

"We need to get going if we don't want those guys to catch up." Speaks Jin, voice a bit muffled by all the fur.

"Let's go," expresses Yi "All of us,"

Everest happily places Jin on one of his broad shoulders, Peng and Yi smile as they rush to catch up with the fleeing pair.

**Just gotta say I absolutely love this movie! The character development of Jin has to be my favorite part! I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and if I don't post till then a Happy New Year! **


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